Pakistan beat England by 87 runs in Rawalpindi tri-series opener
On 20 October 2026 in Rawalpindi, England were defeated by Pakistan in the one-day tri-series, Pakistan winning by 87 runs. Pakistan 302-9 (50 overs): Baker 3-65; Nawaz 79 (74), Arafat 59 (58). England 215 (38.4 overs): Banton 57 (53), Arafat 6-40.
The match was the opening fixture of England's winter tour programme and part of a tri-series intended as preparation for next year's 50-over World Cup; it also formed the first of what the England camp regard as a potential 21 ODIs ahead of that tournament. The game took place amid five separate tours to four different countries on three continents, marking the start of a busy period for England. The tri-series format was described in the report as designed to replicate tournament pressure and permutations.
Pakistan recovered from 133-5 in the 28th over to post 302-9, helped by Hasan Nawaz's powerful 79 off 74 balls and Arafat Minhas's 59 off 58. England had moments of fielding lapse: they were 190-5 in the 37th over when Jordan Cox dropped Arafat on 12, one of three catches England failed to hold. The innings featured contributions from Faheem Ashraf alongside Nawaz and Arafat on a pitch assessed as flat.
Arafat's left-arm spin proved decisive as he returned 6-40, and the report says he "bamboozled England" with his bowling. The performance earned the note that "Arafat Minhas returned the best figures by a Pakistan spinner in an ODI against England." The all-rounder also effected a run out of Gus Atkinson to complete Pakistan's victory amid a noisy full house.
England began the run chase briskly but lost momentum after 91-0; Ben Duckett was out for 45 after top-edging a pull, and Tom Banton was caught for 57 when he shovelled a long hop from Arafat to mid-wicket. Arafat continued to influence the game with the ball, bowling England captain Harry Brook for five, and Naseem Shah induced a delivery to keep low to bowl Joe Root for 33.
The lower order unravelled under Arafat and Pakistan's attack: Cox was given out lbw for 18 and Jamie Overton holed out, both to Arafat, as England collapsed to 215 all out. They lost their last seven wickets for 50 runs, with Sam Curran dismissed for 27 after shovelling to deep square leg and Will Jacks finding a mid-wicket hand; a mix-up between Sonny Baker and Atkinson left Atkinson face down on the turf. The report also noted Cox had dropped two catches behind the stumps and that Baker had been expensive with the new ball.
England entered the match without three regulars—Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer and Jacob Bethell—despite having won three ODI series earlier in the year. The coverage mentions Banton had made a century in the recent series and that the injured Bethell is expected back for the tour of Australia next month, while Cox "will have a run in the ODI side because Buttler is out until at least the new year" and will also eye a Test place in South Africa.
Pakistan now have two wins from two in the tri-series and are described as already on the brink of the final; England's next match is against Sri Lanka at the same Rawalpindi ground on Thursday.
